I mostly miss the way it made me feel about myself. I still enjoy all my old favourites, but I feel like it's been so long and I don't know where to start. I just found Sage's album from 2013 on [Bandcamp] yesterday and I am pretty impressed so far, so maybe there have been other artists/releases that have came about that would be worth my attention?

So, my question is:
If I haven't listened to any rap in the past 6-8 years, what have I missed? Artists, news, landmark releases, etc.

I caught wind of this one guy: Kendrick Lamar. I don't like him very much.

Last edited by ativan_dan on Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:36 am; edited 1 time in total

Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:54 am

mancabbage

Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 9285
Location: london

2013.... just checking....you do know sage has a new record out as of a couple of weeks back and is touring at the moment, ...right? if not get on it because its great

8 years is ages, i could have created a human that could beat me at thumb wars in that time .. christ i dont know where the hell to start, i think kendrick is great though..

Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:35 pm

NeuroA champion of Kurtis SP

Joined: 19 Jul 2002
Posts: 7909

best advice is probally to look up the artists you used to listen to, to see what they have done, and go from there......

Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:57 pm

mizterie

Joined: 12 Mar 2004
Posts: 4598
Location: the ether

tiger ty

Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:53 am

Limbs

Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Posts: 1045

Kendrick.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:12 am

Limbs

Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Posts: 1045

I'm ignoring your last comment. If you don't feel kendrick I don't know what you're doing trying to get back into hiphop.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:14 am

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

You cats really like Kendrick Lamar, eh? I'm not hating on the guy, but I think he's highly overrated and doesn't know how to pick a beat. And his voice is annoying as fuck, like a more hood version of Pigeon John.

In the meanwhile, Sole has been stead dropping like a record a year. Check out his bandcamp for the whole shebang. The first S/T one with the Skyrider band is dynamite. Hello Cruel World is pretty good, and has a guest spot from Sage. The ones after that have some really good tracks on them, but probably could have been condensed into more quality, less quantity, naw mean?

I was going to post a whole list, but fuck it. I can't be bothered. Check out a bunch of different record labels: Strange Famous, Fake Four, Rhymesayers, and Doomtree. If you can't find anything good your rap-listening career is over.

And get Run the Jewels.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:47 am

Flossin

Joined: 28 Jul 2009
Posts: 611

Sole dropped three records last year. If you're into Sole, I'd say check out the "ARCOEE trilogy", which is "A Ruthless Criticism of Everything Existing", "No Wising Up, No Settling Down" and (my favorite, maybe) "Crimes Against Totality". All very good records, and I say that as somebody who was never really that big of a Sole fan. Good stuff.

I'm not into Kendrick either, really.

- I'd say check out what Open Mike Eagle has been doing.
- Definitely buy Sage's "Copper Gone".
- If you had eight years of no new hip hop, then you probably missed every rap record B. Dolan did, so get on that as well.
- Some NY rappers I've been enjoying are Homeboy Sandman in the last few years, and more recently YC the Cynic.
- Ditto on Run The Jewels (EL-P & Killer Mike).

Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:17 am

ativan_dan

Joined: 18 Jun 2014
Posts: 3

mancabbage wrote: .

I did find that out as well, but thought I better check out Francis in chronological order. He has seldom disappointed me. I still think A Healthy Distrust is one of the best rap albums I've ever heard.

Captiv8 basically summed up how I feel about Kendrick, except I don't know who Pigeon John is.

Checking out rappers I was into before was something I used to keep up on, but I got so dissuaded from doing that by a string of releases that seemed to have no heart (or maybe the problem was with my heart?). That's why I was keen to check out new rappers. Then again, my ears and opinions could've changed just as much as any rapper has within that time frame.

Not really new, but Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler the Creator are hit or miss for me in a really good way. I either dig the songs really hard, or I'm impartial to them. But when its good, its good.

Strange Famous, Rhymesayers, Doomtree Im familiar with, good launching points. Is Fake Four new? It looks like Louis Logic's most recent release is with them. Are Def Jux still around?

Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:31 am

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

Dark Time Sunshine (on Fake Four) is really fucking good. I'm on the fence about the new Grayskul, and really only like their first record. Sleep just put out Oregon Failure (available from the SFR store), and also put out Hesitation Wounds on SFR, which is equally excellent.

Noah23 put out some good stuff. Personally, I think Quicksand and Jupiter Sajitarius are his best albums.

Scroobius Pip's solo album is pretty solid, and his latest collabo with Dan Le Sac on SFR is very nice.

It's not hip hop per se, but A Tribe Called Red blends indigenous music with electro and hip hop to create some really interesting stuff.

Why?'s Alopecia record is not really hip hop either, though it's in that vein. At any rate, it's one of my top ten records of all time.

Buck 65's 20 Odd Years is really good.

Look into Juan Deuce too.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:38 am

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

Fake Four is newish. I think they're run by Ceschi Ramos and his brother, David. There may be someone else involved. Swing by their website and you'll find their roster and music samples for your listening pleasure.

Def Jux is now defunct, for reasons I've never fully understood. I don't know if it was a cash-flow issue, some falling out between El-P and Aesop Rock, or just a tactical hiatus. It hasn't stopped El-P from dominating though.

Oh, and Felt 3 (Slug and Murs; produced by Aesop Rock) is a really great record.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:52 am

ativan_dan

Joined: 18 Jun 2014
Posts: 3

Captiv8 wrote:

Oh, and Felt 3

Damn were on felt 3 now??? how many sad clown bad dubs are there hahah?? Aes rock production will be interesting. I remember when Bazooka Tooth came out and i wasnt crazy over his beats vs. blockheads, but I'll check it out.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:59 am

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

ativan_dan wrote:

Captiv8 wrote:

Oh, and Felt 3

Damn were on felt 3 now??? how many sad clown bad dubs are there hahah?? Aes rock production will be interesting. I remember when Bazooka Tooth came out and i wasnt crazy over his beats vs. blockheads, but I'll check it out.

It's definitely a vast improvement from the production on Bazooka Tooth. His production on Skelethon is even better.

Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:09 am

T-Wrexp00ny tang

Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 6416
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Re: Getting back into hip-hop

ativan_dan wrote:So, my question is:
If I haven't listened to any rap in the past 6-8 years, what have I missed? Artists, news, landmark releases, etc.

Have you at least listened to Fallen House, Sunken City?...

Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:11 pm

FranktheP

Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 1371
Location: East Coast, Fuck You!

Flossin wrote:
- I'd say check out what Open Mike Eagle has been doing.

I checked it out on your recommendation: I hear Kendrick mixed with Lil Jon...I don't think it is a compliment but I will keep listening.